Sheaved pressure vessel unit

ABSTRACT

A pressure vessel unit for use in doubling back a continuously advancing cable, tube, strand or the like, during a treating operation. The unit includes a vessel, which defines a generally horizontally disposed pressure chamber housing a freely rotatably or driven sheave to which access is afforded by a quick opening door; the vessel having cable run inlet and outlet fittings arranged tangentially of the peripheral guide surface of the sheave and inlet and outlet connections for admitting and/or bleeding cable treating fluid from the chamber. The arrangement provides for the establishing of a liquid-gas interface within the chamber, when the cable is to be subject to separate liquid and gas treating operations. The vessel is supported for movement in a direction axially of the cable runs to accommodate for thermal induced expansions and contractions of cable run bounding conduits.

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Bleutge Attorney-Bean & Bean O United States Patent [151 3,680,569 Piegza [451 Aug. 1, 1972 .[54] SHEAVED PRESSURE VESSEL UNIT [57] ABSTRACT Inventor! Henry Pkg", clal'ence, A pressure vessel unit for use in doubling back a con- [73] Assignee: welding & steel Fabrication Co" tinuously advancing cable, tube, strand or the like, Inc Tonawanda during a treating operation. The unit includes a vessel, which defines a generally horizontally disposed pres- Filed: 1, 1971 sure chamber housing a freely rotatably or driven [21] AppL NOJ 111,334 sheave to which access is afiorded by a quick opening 1 door; the vessel having cable run inlet and outlet fittings arranged tangentially of the peripheral guide [52] [1.8. CI. ..l34/64, 134/15, 264/347 surface f the sheave and inlet and outlet connections [511 f Cl "Bose 3/15 B65h 51/00 B65h 54/00 for admitting and/or bleeding cable treating fluid from [58] Field of Search ..l34/9, 15, 64, 122; 264/347 the chamber The arrangement provides for the establishing of a liquid-gas interface within the [56] References C'ted chamber, when the cable is to be subject to separate UNITED STATES PATENTS liquid and gas treating operations. The vessel is supported for movement in a direction axially of the cable Mlntol'l X runs to accommodate for induced expansions 1,837, 1 l Fellows 5 and contractions of cable run bounding conduits 1,885,080 10/1932 Cherry et al. ..134/122 UX 2,488,141 11/1949 Pratt etal. ..l34/l22 X.

8 Clains, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 1 I973 3.680 569 sum 1 or 4 l NVEN'TOR. HENRY J. P/EGZ A PATENTEDAus 1 m2 sum u or 4 l .'\l VEN TOR HENRY J. P/EGZH SHEAVED PRESSURE VESSEL UNIT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to pressure vessels and more particularly to a sheaved pressure vessel unit having utility in doubling back a continuously advancing cable, tube, strand or the like during a treating operation.

The present invention may be employed to reduce by one half the length of floor space normally required for cable treating equipment, such as used for instance in the steam curing and water cooling of rubber coatings extruded onto a continuously advancing flexible metallic cable. The invention does, however, possess utility for use whenever it is desired to change direction of a cable, tube, strand or the like for passage between conduits defining one or two treating environments or zones.

More specifically, the present pressure vessel unit includes a vessel, which defines a pressure chamber serving to house a rotatably supported sheave, and is formed with cable run inlet and outlet fittings opening into the pressure chamber and arranged tangentially of the peripheral cable guide surface of the sheave. Inlet and outlet connections may be provided for admitting and/or bleeding cable treating fluid from within the chamber or for affording sight openings, as required. A roller support is preferably provided for permitting movement of the vessel in a direction axially of the cable runs when necessary to accommodate for thermal induced expansions and contractions of the cable bounding conduits.

By providing a vertical spacing between the cable run inlet and outlet fittings, a liquid-gas interface may be established within the chamber, thereby to provide for instance a seal permitting a steam curing operation to be carried on within an uppermost conduit bounding the inlet cable run and a water cooling operation to be carried on within a lowermost conduit bounding the outlet cable run. Of course, the direction of cable movement may be reversed in those instances wherein it is desired to initially pass the cable through a treating liquid bath and thereafter subject it to a drying and/or other gas treating environment. Also, the unit may be modified to accommodate for one or both of the cable runs extending in a vertical direction.

To facilitate installation of the equipment, the axis of rotation of the sheave may be inclined relative to the horizontal in order to provide for horizontal displacement and/or both horizontal and vertical displacements between the cable run bounding conduits.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the sheaved pressure vessel unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof with parts broken away for the purpose of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the modified form of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the modified form shown in FIG. 4, but with parts broken away for the purpose of clarity;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but illustrating a further modification of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the sheaved pressure vessel unit of the present invention is generally designated as 10. Unit 10 generally includes a pressure vessel 12, which defines a horizontally disposed pressure chamber 14 to which access is afforded by means of a vessel mounted quick opening door construction 16; a guide sheave l8 having a peripherally extending concave guide surface 19; a support 20 for mounting sheave 18 for rotation about a substantially horizontally disposed axis 22 within chamber 14; and a vessel supporting arrangement 24.

Vessel 12 is shown as having vertically aligned fittings 30 and 32, which are arranged to extend substantially tangentially relative to sheave guide surface 19; and a plurality of inlet and outlet connections 34, 36 and 38. As will be apparent from viewing FIG. 1, fittings 30 and 32 may be joined in a fluid sealed relation to first ends of conduits 44 and 46, respectively. Thus, it will be understood that during a treating operation on a flexible cable 48, the latter would be passed between conduits 44 and 46 through chamber 14 for travel about the periphery of sheave 18; fluid being introduced and/or withdrawn from one or more of connections 34, 36 and 38, as required by the operation. It will be understood that the term cable, as used herein, is meant to additionally include tubes, strands or the like. Also, if desired, vessel 12 may be up ended and a vertically opening door provided therefor.

Unit 10 possesses particular utility in conjunction with the treatment of rubber coated flexible metal cables, subsequent to the forming thereof. For instance, when it is desired to cure and subsequently cool a rubber coating after it is extruded onto the cable, the cable would be advanced in the direction indicated by arrow 50 by means of a suitable drive device,- not shown, arranged adjacent the downstream end of conduit 46; steam under pressure would be admitted into an upstream end of conduit 44 and into the upper half of chamber 14 through connection 34; and cooling water would be admitted into conduit 46 preferably both adjacent a downstream end of such conduit and through connection 36. Alternatively, steam and water may be withdrawn through their respective connections, depending on system requirements. In any case these connections may be considered as having utility in controlling the liquid and gas environments present within the lower and upper levels of chamber 14. There is thus established a convenient water-steam interface within chamber 14, and treating environment in bounding conduits 44 and 46 effectively sealed one relative to the other. Whenever it is desired to gain access to chamber 14 for the purpose of maintenance, cable threading or inspection, it is merely necessary to close off connections 34 and 36 by suitable valve devices, not shown, drain conduits 44 and 46, and thereafter open connection 38, which in this case serves as a conventional drain opening.

It will be understood that the direction of cable travel thus far described may be reversed for other treating operations, as for instance when conduit 46 is to be filled with a suitable impregnating or coating liquid and conduit 44 filled with a suitable drying or reactive gas. Of course, in situations of the type described or wherein chamber 14 is to be completely filled with only a liquid or gas, one or more of connections 34, 36 and 38 may be blocked or employed to mount a suitable sight glass or probe, as desired.

The specific design of door construction 16 forms no part of the present invention; the preferred from, however, being disclosed in detail in US. Pat. No. 3,488,883. Thus, door construction 16 will be described only briefly as generally including a ring-like mounting or shell extension 52, which is adapted to be welded or otherwise affixed to the open end of vessel 12 and serves to define chamber access opening 54; a door 56, which is adapted to be pivotally supported on mounting 52 by a hinge construction 58; and a locking ring 60, which is adapted to be rotatably supported on mounting 52. Rotation of locking ring 60 for the purpose of releasably locking door 56 in pressure sealing engagement with mounting 52 may be effected by any suitable means, such as manually operated rack and pinion operator 62. Preferably, a locking ring latch device 64 including a pressure responsive valving arrangement 66 is employed to prevent rotation of the locking ring to its door releasing position whenever the pressure within chamber 14 is other than substantially atmospheric.

Reference is now made particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein sheave support 20 is shown as including first or forward bearing mounting in the form of a vertically disposed U-shaped channel 70, which is removable affixed adjacent its upper and lower ends by means of bolts 72 to mounting blocks 74, which are in turn weld affixed to upper and lower portions of the inside wall surface of vessel 12; a front short sleeve bearing 76, which is bolt affixed to channel 70; a second or rear bearing mounting in the form of a pair of angle irons 78 and 80, which are weld affixed to the inside wall surface of vessel 12; and a rear short sleeve bearing 82, which is bolt affixed to angle irons 78 and 80 and cooperates with sleeve bearing 76 to rotatably support sheave 18 on a stub shaft 84. It will be noted that the diameter of sheave 18 is such as to provide only a slight radial clearance between cable 48 and the inside wall of chamber 12 and thereby maximize the radius through which the cable is necessarily bent in passing about the sheave. The sheave 18 may be conveniently formed as a one piece casting.

Support 24 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as including a channel iron formed base having four vertically rising metal plate supports 86 weld affixed to the undersurface of vessel 12, and depending roller members 88 supported for movement along tracks 90. It will be understood that tracks 90 are codirectional with the axes of fittings 30 and 32 and conduits 44 and 46, thereby to permit horizontal displacement of pressure vessel 12 as required by thermally induced expansions and contractions of the conduits.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4, and 6, which illustrate an alternative construction to that thus far described wherein like parts are designated by prime numbers. The construction of unit differs from that of unit 10 principally in that the rotational axis 22' of sheave 18 is inclined relative to the horizontal, thereby to permit fittings 30' and 32' to be arranged in both a vertically and horizontally spaced relationship. Further, sheave support 20' differs in that the rear bearing mounting is in the form of a single U-shaped channel iron 92 weld affixed to horizontally opposite ends thereof to the inner surface of vessel 12 and front bearing mounting is in the form of a U-shaped channel iron 94, which is bolt aflixed to mounting blocks 96, which are in turn weld affixed to horizontally opposite sides of the inner surface of the pressure vessel. As in the embodiment previously described, this arrangement for supporting the front bearing mounting facilitates removal and replacement of worn sheaves.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a modification of the unit illustrated in FIG. 5, and thus in FIG. 7 like parts are designated by double primed numerals. Specifically, unit 10" differs from the units previously described in that sheave 18" is adapted to be positively driven. To this end, there is provided a sheave mounting drive shaft 100, which is journaled on vessel mounted bracket 102 for passage inwardly through a shaft gland 104 carried by the rear wall of vessel 12. The externally extending end of shaft may be keyed to any suitable source of power, not shown. Further, if desired, vessel 12" may be provided with a heating or cooling jacket 106.

Unit 10" possesses particular utility in treating operations wherein it is desirable to maintain uniform tensions in the inlet and outlet cable runs, in which case the sheave would be slowly driven in the direction of cable movement. Alternatively, burnishing of the surface of the cable-may be effected by rotations of sheave 18" in an opposite direction. Still further, by widening sheave guide surface 19", so as to permit loopings of cable 48 completely thereabout, treating operations may be carried on in which it is desirable to maintain unequal tensions in the inlet and outlet cable runs.

I claim:

1. A unit for changing the direction of a flexible cable or the like for passage between a pair of conduits bounding cable treating inlet and outlet cable runs relative to said unit, while maintaining said cable subject to two difi'erent cable treating environments each present singularly in alternate conduits, said unit comprising in combination:

a pressure vessel defining a chamber having an access opening, said vessel having a pair of fittings connectible in a fluid sealed relationship one with each of said conduits for placing said conduits in fluid communication with said chamber;

a door for removably fluid sealing said access opena sheave having a peripherally extending cable guide surface; and

means for mounting said sheave for rotationwithin said chamber, said fittings extending from said chamber in directions arranged substantially tangentially of said guide surface, whereby the direction of travel of said cable in passing between said conduits is changed during engagement thereof with said guide surface.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes means for effecting driven rotations of said sheave.

3. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are parallel and disposed within a substantially common vertically extending plane, and said sheave is mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis.

4. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are parallel and arranged in a vertically and horizontally spaced relationship, and said sheave is mounted for rotation about an axis inclined relative to the horizontal.

5. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are substantially parallel and said unit additionally includes an assembly for supporting said vessel for movement along a path extending substantially codirectionally with said fittings.

6. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said sheave mounting means includes first and second mounting means cooperating to removably journal said sheave for rotational movement therebetween, said first and second mounting means being near and remote relative to said access opening and at least said first mounting means being removably fixed to a boundary wall of said chamber thereby to permit said first mounting means and said sheave to be removably inserted into said chamber through said access opening when said door is open.

7. A unit according to claim 6, wherein said second mounting means is weld affixed to said boundary wall and said first mounting means is bolt affixed to mounting blocks, said blocks being weld affixed to said boundary wall.

8. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are arranged in communication with vertically spaced levels of said chamber, and said vessel includes at least two vertically displaced fluid connections arranged in communication one with each of said chamber levels, a lowermost of said connections being a liquid connection for controlling a liquid bath environment within a lowermost of said chamber levels and an uppermost of said connections being a gas connection for controlling a gaseous environment within an uppermost of said chamber levels, and said sheave is arranged to guide said cable for passage through said uppermost and lowermost chamber levels. 

1. A unit for changing the direction of a flexible cable or the like for passage between a pair of conduits bounding cable treating inlet and outlet cable runs relative to said unit, while maintaining said cable subject to two different cable treating environments each present singularly in alternate conduits, said unit comprising in combination: a pressure vessel defining a chamber having an access opening, said vessel having a pair of fittings connectible in a fluid sealed relationship one with each of said conduits for placing said conduits in fluid communication with said chamber; a door for removably fluid sealing said access opening; a sheave having a peripherally extending cable guide surface; and means for mounting said sheave for rotation within said chamber, said fittings extending from said chamber in directions arranged substantially tangentially of said guide surface, whereby the direction of travel of said cable in passing between said conduits is changed during engagement thereof with said guide surface.
 2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes means for effecting driven rotations of said sheave.
 3. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are parallel and disposed within a substantially common vertically extending plane, and said sheave is mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis.
 4. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are parallel and arranged in a vertically and horizontally spaced relationship, and said sheave is mounted for rotation about an axis inclined relative to the horizontal.
 5. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are substantially parallel and said unit additionally includes an assembly for supporting said vessel for movement along a path extending substantially co-directionally with said fittings.
 6. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said sheave mounting means includes first and second mounting means cooperating to removably journal said sheave for rotational movement therebetween, said first and second mounting means being near and remote relative to said access opening and at least said first mounting means being removably fixed to a boundary wall of said chamber thereby to permit said first mounting means and said sheave to be removably inserted into said chamber through said access opening when said door is open.
 7. A unit according to claim 6, wherein said second mounting means is weld affixed to said boundary wall and said first mounting means is bolt affixed to mounting blocks, said blocks being wEld affixed to said boundary wall.
 8. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said fittings are arranged in communication with vertically spaced levels of said chamber, and said vessel includes at least two vertically displaced fluid connections arranged in communication one with each of said chamber levels, a lowermost of said connections being a liquid connection for controlling a liquid bath environment within a lowermost of said chamber levels and an uppermost of said connections being a gas connection for controlling a gaseous environment within an uppermost of said chamber levels, and said sheave is arranged to guide said cable for passage through said uppermost and lowermost chamber levels. 